Florence

This classic destination has the world’s largest collection of Renaissance art and of lavish architecture, it is often referred to as being one enormous museum or gallery, with more art treasures per square meter than any other city on earth.  

Florence is nestled on the banks of the river Arno, below the wooded foothills of the Appennines, this beautiful and romantic city makes a classic choice for a short break or for an exciting weekend of discovery.  

How to explore Florence: Florence encourages discovery and is best enjoyed (and easily explored) on foot. Be sure to wear a sturdy (but stylish) pair of walking boots in order to visit the many fascinating palaces, museums and galleries. If visiting Florence for the first time start by getting lost, simply wander around the city without referring to your guide or map, feel yourself being drawn in amongst the lavish architecture that crowds the ancient and narrow shadowed streets. Continue strolling around the elegant buildings and piazzas and you will soon understand why Florence inspired so many artists to produce many pieces of beauty and wonder. 

What to see in Florence: Visit the Uffizi gallery, one of the most interesting and oldest galleries in the world. It houses an impressive collection of works from the Renaissance period and was commissioned largely by the Medici family, works include Botticelli’s (Birth of Venus). Also visit the Galleria Dell’ Accademia, which contains Michelangelo’s original David.  

The magnificent Cathedral dominates the city with excellent views from its famous cupola and Giotto’s Bell Tower. Take a stroll across the famous Ponte Vecchio bridge or enjoy the beautiful Pitti Palace and its lovely gardens. For the best views of the city take a stroll from Porta Romana to Piazzale Michelangelo and then onto San Miniato al Monte to visit one of the most beautiful Romanesque churches in Italy. 

Eating out in Florence: Florence has many restaurants serving traditional Tuscan and international cuisine. Some of the best authentic eateries are the small friendly trattoria around the Piazza Santa Maria Novella. Try one of the local Tuscan wines (Chianti). The top-floor café of the La Rinascente department store has great views, plus excellent coffee and pastries.  

Shopping in Florence: Italian fashion can be found at the Via della Vigna Nuova. For the best deals check out the out-of-town outlet stores, plus the flea market of Piazza Ciompi for more bargains, also visit the large street market at San Lorenzo. The medieval Ponte Vecchio is famous for hand-crafted jewellery and traditional goldsmiths. 

Popular Pre-Bookable Florence Excursions:

The 3 hour city tour of Florence – Be prepared, you pack-in a lot of culture on this tour, including: Brunelleschi’s Cupola, Giotto’s Bell Tower, Baptistry. Palazzo Pitti (or Bargello Museum or Medici Chapels), the Palatine Gallery, the Piazzale Michelangelo, the Church of Santa Croce and the Galleria Dell’Accademia which houses Michelangelo’s original statue of David. 

Pisa afternoon tour – A trip to the site of Italy’s famous leaning tower, plus the Piazza dei Cavalieri, Piazza dei Miracoli and the Cathedral and Baptistry. 

San Gimignano and Siena – A full day tour (at least 9 hours) taking you through the picturesque Tuscan countryside to the fascinating medieval hilltop village of San Gimignano, then onto Siena, the famous venue for the Palio horse race. 

Chianti countryside wine tour – A very popular excursion (and welcome break from the heat of the city) visiting the Chianti countryside, includes a visit to a Castle Farm for wine tasting and traditional snacks. 

Airport Transfers: Pisa. Galileo Galilei International Airport (PSA) serves Florence. The airport is located one mile (2km) northeast of Pisa. A bus service from the airport departs regularly to Pisa city centre. Trains from Pisa Centrale station connect to Florence and other cities in the region. Taxis are also available, the average fare within Pisa ranges from €4 to €8. Taxi drivers are required to switch on their meters before each journey. From Pisa, there is a coach service to the centre of Florence that takes approx 1hour 30min.  

Florence – once visited always remembered. 

© The Travel3 Directory and www.travel3.co.uk, 2008-2009. Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to The Travel3 Directory and www.holiday4.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. 

Paris - the city of Romance.

By far the best way to explore Paris is on foot, it’s a sheer delight, you will discover hidden squares, secret passageways and fascinating views that excite and delight as you turn every corner.

Places to visit in Paris:  Start off with a visit to the first most powerful symbol of Paris, the 984- foot Eiffel Tower. The tower dominates the skyline and was constructed in 1889. Reaching the top of the tower feels like a great achievement, you’re also greeted with the best views of the city. Trivia: The tower is almost entirely constructed of pure iron, 2.5 million rivets were used during its construction, one workman was killed during the installation of the lift system, 50 tons of paint are needed to paint the entire tower from top to bottom.

Then onto the second most powerful symbol of Paris, the Notre-Dame. This stunning Gothic masterpiece was built between 1163 and 1345. The Cathedral is massive and can seat around 6,000 people; it is dominated by three spectacular and enormous rose windows, as well as a vast 7,800-pipe organ. Climb the 387-steps to the top of the cathedral tower for another spectacular 360-degree panoramic view of the city.

Out and about in Paris:  Take a stroll to ‘The Left Bank’. St. Germain is the meeting place for many artists, with many famous cafes and interesting antique shops dotted along the tiny cobbled streets and shadowed passageways.

Take a long walk up the glittering Champs-Elysees, the most famous avenue in France which extends from the Arc de Triomphe to the Place dela Concorde. This is Paris’s chic area, where fashion wealth and the upper class meet and live together; here you will find famous department stores such as Galleries Lafayette and Printemps. The Montmartre stretches from the grand boulevards by the opera, through to the lively Pigalle and to Clignancourt flea market and the Sacre Coeur basilica. Take a slow ride down the Grands Boulevards with their wide tree-lined thoroughfares; look out for the famous and exciting theatre venues and buzzing trendy restaurants.

Other places of interest: Visit the striking Louvre (one of the world’s great art museums) it contains many masterpieces including the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo. Tip: Entry to the museum is free on the first Sunday of every month. Visit the Pompidou Centre, France’s most visited museum and the Musee d’Orsay for the best collection of impressionist art in the world. Visit the Versailles with its hall of mirrors, magnificent gardens and view of the Queen’s apartments.

Getting Around Paris:  Paris has an excellent public transport system consisting of buses and an extensive underground metro system. The metro travel area is divided into five zones radiating out from the center and ticket prices vary depending on the number of zones you require. The Paris Visitors pass is valid for one, two, three or five days, the pass also allows discounts to certain places of interest including various museums, galleries and restaurants. Taxis are readily available and can be hailed on the roadside or picked-up at taxi ranks.

Tourist Bus:  Getting around the city using other forms of transport couldn’t be easier. The popular L’OpenTour Bus is a great way to get your bearings and experience the sights of Paris from an open top-deck bus, pre-book your tickets if possible. The bus stops at over 30 major attractions and you can hop on and off as often as you please.

Nightlife in Paris:  Paris nightlife is centered around the many trendy cafes, authentic bistros and restaurants. If you are on a budget look out for fixed price menus ‘Menu Prix Fixe’ or ‘Plat du Jour’ at the small restaurants of St. Germain, Montmarte or the boulevard du Montparnasse. If you are looking for something special and are prepared to ‘splash the cash’ try Le Doyen on the Champs Elysees, the head chef Christian Le Squer is discreet but very talented or La Tour d’ Argent overlooking the Notre Dame.

A night out ‘must do’ is to experience one of the three fabulous cabarets. 

1. The historic Moulin Rouge – the world’s most famous French cabaret revue is based on typical Parisian style.
2. The Lido – The famous Parisian cabaret Le Lido features an unforgettable dinner and spectacular show, well recommended during your stay in the City of Light. 
3. The Paradis Latin – a fabulous revue, authentic and entertaining and includes the famous Can-Can.

How to get from Paris Airport to the City Centre:  Charles de Gaulle International Airport (CDG) lies 14 miles (23km) north east of Paris. From (CDG) the best and easiest way to travel into the city is by train. The train service (RER B) operates a fast and convenient service to the city from the airport with connections to the Paris Metro. Taxis are available on arrival at each terminal. Buses are also available to the city center and to major train stations.

A few ‘must do’s’ before leaving Paris:
1. Go ice-skating at the outdoor rink at the Hotel de Ville.
2. Kick back and laze on the banks of the Seine.
3. Allow yourself to get lost in the old streets and avenues.
4. Watch the world walk by as you sip coffee at a sidewalk café.
5. Take a midnight walk up the glittering Champs-Elysees.

However long you spend in Paris you know you will always return.

Accommodation in Paris:  Paris is a very accommodating city, if you’re planning a quick visit or short break for business or pleasure, travelling with the family or looking for a romantic getaway, you’ll find a remarkable range of quality hotels ranging from budget and tourist grade properties through to 3 & 4 star and Luxury accommodation.

Build your own Holiday or City Break to Paris:  There are many pre-packaged holidays to Paris from which to choose, however, why not try and build your own Paris holiday. Doing it yourself involves the booking of separate travel components, including flights, accommodation and transfers, enabling greater flexibility in travel dates, departure points, duration and in many cases lower prices when compared with the often restricted packaged holiday deal.

Flexibility is one of the key advantages to creating your own holiday. Whilst traditional package holidays may only offer set durations and set departure dates, there are no such restrictions when creating your own holiday. The same flexibility applies to your budget, by booking separate travel components (cheap flights, accommodation, transfers, excursions) travellers can decide to apportion their budgets accordingly, say between flights and accommodation. Try it for yourself and see how easy it can be.

© The Travel3 Directory and www.travel3.co.uk, 2008-2009. Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to The Travel3 Directory and www.travel3.co.uk with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Published 11/03/2009.

No need to follow the crowd, simply custom-design your own holiday. With an increasingly confident travelling public, combined with an increase in the availability of low cost flights, and of new, sofisticated ‘multi-website’ hotel search systems, we now see a massive increase in ‘DIY Travel’ and in ‘Build Your Own  Holidays’, especially within the short stay and European city beak markets.

Doing it yourself involves the booking of separate travel components, including flights, accommodation, transfers and or car rental, enabling greater flexibility in travel dates, departure points, duration and in many cases lower prices when compared with the often restricted traditional packaged holiday deal. It’s now easier and safer to ‘Do It Yourself’ with more facilities and freedom to exactly match your travel plans, requirements and budget.

With two thirds of households now having fast broadband connections and with the explosion of sophisticated hotel price comparison websites, low cost airlines and the rise in independent online travel specialists, it now seems inevitable that we see further declines in choice and in sales of the ‘traditional package holiday’.

There are now an ever-increasing number of online travel specialists, these specialists offer easy to use ‘dynamic packaging’ search tools, including full price comparison and secure booking systems, allowing you to ‘pick and mix’ from a wide range of airlines, hotels, apartments, car hire suppliers and lots more. The choice of airline is extensive, with instant comparison and availability on full schedule services, European charter airlines, budget and no frill carriers.

User options include making individual online searches, then booking each travel component separately and direct with specialist suppliers. Alternatively, you now have access to online services and companies who offer ‘one stop dynamic packaging’, these companies provide individual searches, compared pricing and reservation options for transportation, then add-on components, accommodation, resort transfers and car hire, all within the one website and the one company.  Many of these ‘one stop dynamic packaging’ companies hold ATOL licence protection, providing you with financial security, stability and peace of mind should anything go wrong. 

Advantages of Dynamic Packaging: Flexibility is one of the key advantages to creating your own holiday. Whilst traditional package holidays often only offer set durations and set departure dates, there are no such restrictions when creating and building your own holiday. The same flexibility applies to your budget, by booking separate travel components (flights, accommodation, transfers, car rental and excursions) travellers can decide to apportion their budgets accordingly, say between flights and accommodation. Whilst some travellers may prefer to pay more for good flight times and to fly with a schedule airline and are prepared to pay more for this convenience, others may prefer to fly with a low cost budget airline and allocate the majority of their budget to their accommodation.

Disadvantages of Dynamic Packaging: If you book a package holiday through one of the many ATOL and ABTA protected tour operators, you’re more than likely to be protected against mishaps, such as company failure and cancellation. Your contract is with the one ATOL protected company/operator, this means the tour operator will be legally obliged to inform and arrange replacement travel (at no extra cost) should you suffer a cancellation.

It is possible to create and book ‘dynamic packages’ through an ATOL protected company and remain protected, however, the majority of dynamic packages booked are usually sourced using non ATOL protected suppliers, this is because these suppliers are often cheaper and may well provide more choice and flexibility.  Booking your package through separate companies/suppliers will result in no or limited protection should failure our cancellations accrue.

How to protect your holiday: You can protect your money should your supplier fold as long as you spend at least £100 on your Cretit Card in one transaction. The card issuer becomes jointly liable for the failure of the company you have paid. But take note; if you can’t make it to your destination because the airline goes out of business, you won’t necessarily get all your money back on the hotel, car rental or excursions just because you can’t make it to your destination.

Airline failure insurance: Alternatively take out appropriate insurance to cover company failure. Most standard travel insurance policies do not cover any losses you may suffer through the financial collapse of a tour operator, airline or hotel. However, some insurance policys now cover the failure of scheduled airlines, it may be advisable to check the policy detail before you buy. It’s also worth checking if the terms of the policy include “consequential losses”. Without consequental losses you may well receive cover for losses on, for example, your flights but won’t be covered if an airline failure means you can’t use a hotel room or other travel arrangements paid for in advance.

Look out for more travel tips and advise @ The Travel3 Directory. www.travel3.co.uk

© The Travel3 Directory and www.travel3.co.uk, 2008-2009. Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to The Travel3 Directory and www.travel3.co.uk with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

One of the easiest and most efficient ways of searching for your next flight deal is to use one of the latest flight and airfare comparison websites. These services are usually free of charge and provide an extremely efficient and comprehensive method of comparing multiple airline and flight consolidator website services.

The most recent flight and airfare comparison websites are now configured to include price and live availability searches on full schedule airlines, low cost budget flights and holiday charter services, all search results are returned and combined within the one convenient and easy to read display.

Some airfare comparison websites also include discount airfare displays from leading UK flight consolidators, giving you more choice and value than ever before. By using one of the latest and comprehensive flight and airfare search facilities you save yourself a great deal of time, effort and money.

Major flight comparison websites now include optional advanced search tools, these tools enhance and quicken the travel search process.  Advanced search tools include the option to specify certain search criteria, which in turn can help you to find the best flight deal for your itinerary. You can search by flight departure time range, specific airline selection, you can also request results to include cheaper airfares within a specific departure date range, plus you have the facility to include searches using ‘low cost airline’ options.

Airfare and flight availability can be displayed by cheapest airfare price first or by specific airline, departure time or by flight duration. Select the flight deal that suites you, then use the ‘Best Priced Supplier’ to make a direct reservation. Click on the “Select” button and you will be redirected to the airline or suppliers secure website to complete your booking direct.

Other helpful tips on finding great flight deals include:

• Book early to catch the ‘early booking’ deals. Some cheaper fares require a minimum 21 day advance booking period.
• Flying out on a weekend is usually more expensive, try flying mid-week Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.
• Subscribing to airline newsletters is the best way of staying ahead of the crowds. Most airlines now circulate airfare news in their weekly or monthly newsletter, including latest special offers and incentives plus the dates when reservations open for a new flight season.
• Try not to restrict yourself to flying from one particular airport, the more choice you give yourself the better chance you have at finding a cheaper deal.
• Flying on a direct or non-stop service is not always cheaper. Very often the cheapest deals will involve a number of stops or change of aircraft or both.
• Look out for the ‘include budget airlines’ search option on price comparison travel sites.
• Budget (no-frills) airlines don’t always have the cheapest deals, especially the closer you get to departure date. Prices can change very quickly so don’t forget to check all flight options including flights with full service-airlines.
• If possible, be flexible with travel dates, this will help you find those cheap fares. Most flight search systems display prices for flights either side of your chosen date, in order for you to see how much you could save by amending your itinerary or travel plans.
  

To get the best overview of the cheapest flights available, don’t forget to use a free Flight and Airfare Comparison, multiple website search facility.

© The Travel3 Directory and www.travel3.co.uk, 2008-2009. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to The Travel3 Directory and www.travel3.co.uk with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Zurich. City Guide

A city guide to Zurich.

Zurich is the world’s banking capital, it has style, a rich culture  and an ancient history that awaits discovery.

Medieval Zurich is built around the River Limmat on the edge of Lake Zurich, the city retains an old world atmosphere of charm and tradition and is the largest city in Switzerland.

Colorful clock towers and steeples dominate the skyline, whilst in the bustling streets you will find beautiful and elegant shops, romantic squares and attractive traditional pubs and restaurants.

Places of interest in Zurich: Main places to visit include St. Peter’s church (which boasts Europe’s largest clock face) and the twin-towered Grossmunster (the 17th century Town Hall). Also worth a visit is the famous Kunsthause museum.

Attractions in Zurich: For one of the best and refreshing panoramic views of the city and of Mount Rigi (1797m) take a ride on the Polybahn or Rigiblick Funicular with panoramic views of the city, Lake Zurich and the alps in the distance.

Stroll through the charming district of Niederdorf in the old town, with its 14th century buildings, small plazas, restaurants, busker’s and winding cobbled streets that await to be explored. Here you will also find an interesting array of antique shops, fashion stores, bookshops as well as superb wine and pastry outlets and cafes. The Niederhof is also part of Zurich’s buzzing nightlife with a wide selection of bars, restaurants, jazz  and night clubs.

Excursions in Zurich: Relax on a summer cruises on the lake or visit Medieval Regensberg and the Castle at Rapperswil, both are within easy reach and well worth a visit.

Local transport in Zurich: Think Swiss, think efficiency. Zurich is noted for its safe, clean and effective public transportation system. The city is easy to navigate and explore, with trams and buses running across the city daily from 5.30am to midnight. The easiest way to get around is to use a travel pass known as the Tageskarte (one day ticket) that allows travel on all buses and trams for 24 hours. In the summer months bicycles can be hired free of charge from various rail stations. Taxi’s are safe but expensive. The Zürich Region is served by efficient rapid transit trains (S-Bahn) which run every 15 to 30 minutes.

Airport to City Centre: Swiss Rail (SBB) has fast and efficient rail transport services to the city centre. The train station is located below the Arrivals terminal and trains leave every 10 minutes for Zurich and other destinations throughout Switzerland. Taxis take around half an hour to Zurich city centre.

Cultural Interests in Zurich: Zurich’s Museum of Fine Arts is well worth a visit. The museum houses some of Europe’s most extensive collections, from 15th century masterpieces to the modern art works of Dali, Hockney, Munch, Cezanne, Monet, Gaugin, and Picasso.

Shopping in Zurich: Most shopping is centered around the pedestrianised Bahnhofstrasse, where you will find top label boutiques and exquisite souvenir shops.

Nightlife in Zurich: For upbeat entertainment try the Latin Quarter for excellent jazz clubs and bars. You will find plenty of pubs, cafes and restaurants with International menus or traditional cuisine. Try a beef or cheese fondue in one of the pubs around the Bahnhofstrasse. Zurich has many colorful street parades and festivals throughout the year. The Niederhof district in the old town is also part of Zurich’s buzzing nightlife.

What to buy: Swiss Army knives, watches, lace, traditional wood carvings.

Flights to Zurich: Looking for discount flights for your short break or business trip to Geneva, Zurich or Basle. Start your flight search now and see how much you can save. Compare over 50 airlines and several major UK flight consolidators in one search (Thomas Cook, e-bookers, My Travel and Airline Network) then click to book direct. Use Flight4 to find cheap flights tickets for your next holiday, business trip or weekend break.

Zurich Airport (ZRH)
The airport is located eight miles (12km) north of Zurich.

Transport: From Airport to Zurich city center. The best and easiest way to travel into the city from Zurich Airport is by Swiss Rail (SBB) train. The station is located below the arrivals terminal at ZRH and departures are every 10 minutes for Zurich and other destinations.